The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-10-01
NUMBER 81.


old friends. 1t doesn't always hap
pen that one meets them looking so
jolly, though" he subjoined. with an
admiring glance straight into the
girls face. injecting people you've
known is beastly disappointing most
of the time"
"You have left the service, Captain
Low ?"
BLESS me soul, yes Left it years
ago. I've been into every quarter Of
the globe since, too, sheep farming in
Australia and in Colorado, and a
little ofeverything else everywhere"
Again he ended up with his laugh,
which set Miss Blair's every nerve
in culver. Marion sat as white as
marble and as motioniess. Sire must
say something, Mrs. Blair felt. The
only way to force her into doing so
seemed to be to leave her alone with
her visitor. AS she succeeded in
vanishing from the room Marion
sent look Of bewildered appeal after
her,
"Outside the closed door Mrs.
Blair clasped her hands to her head
with sincsre dramatic action. What
should she do? Ask that unspeak-
ably vulgar man to remain over
night" Unless he cut his visit very
short he would miss the last train
to town; and it was not in the
least likely that he would cut it short.
AS soon as her back was turned he
would probably begin making love
to Marion. He certainly looked as
though he wanted to. His open
glances had expressed enough admi-
ration of her. What had he expec.
ted to find? A shriveled.up passe
woman? Did he think every one
retrograded as he must have done
since Marion first had met him ?
But. of course, he was not conscious
of his own abominableness. 1t oc-
Cured to Mrs. Blair to ask Farmley's
ADVICE as to this dilemma. But a
second thought suggested the in
delicacy of such action in view of
Farmley's own feelings and the shock
of the intelligence of the Captains
arrival would be to him. Mechani-
cally, however, Mrs. Blair had walk
ed to the back door. From there
she saw that Farmley was no longer
sitting under the moonlight on the
gravel sweep. The little group of
chairs stood empty.
AT that moment the servant came
up to her again with a note on the
salver.
From Mr.. Farmley. ma'am. He
excused himself to you for leaving in
such hurry"
For leaving ?'' repeated Mrs.
Blair, very much vexed.
She tore open the note. There were
only a few words. Farmley had
hastily packed his valise and walked
oil 10 the station to catch the last train
1t had been sudden determination
on his pnrt. Mrs. Blair would un-
'hrf-'nnl his feelings.
He had spoken to Miss Dpnnison
aGtW, and as things stood it was
ralnfn and embarrassing for them to
meet again.
With her unfailing indulgence and
her great kindness and long friend
ship for him, of which he was all
unworthy, he hoped Mrs. Blair would
forgive him.
She was still reading the note when
the door of the reception room abb
ruptly opened, and Captain came out,
very red in the face. He bowed
shortly to the lady, and striding
straight to the front door, disappear
ed. Mrs. Blair went into the room,
and Marion threw herself into her
arms and burst into storm of tears.
"He wanted-he wanted" but
she'could get no further.
WANTED to renew his engagement
with YOU: The brutew cried Mrs.
Blair. obliviOus of the fact that the
person thus dominated had been the
unapproachable ideal of all her
friends young years. Marion sob.
bed on as though she could not sob
enough. Mrs. Blair he'd her SYM
pathetically in her arms, and every
now and then cooed caressingly down
upon her head. But the chief thought
in her mind all the time was :"What
fool Ambrose was to start off just
now J"
In the course OF couple of months
when indeed the naples and elms
were aBush all over Mrs. Blair's
place. and the evenings grew short
and cool, and the mistress of the do
main was beginning to think of re-
turning to town, Farmley received
letter.
Mind, 1 don't promise anything"